Queen’s Plate 2016

A couple weeks ago, I attended the Queen’s Plate 2016 for a day of fashion, food and fun at the races. A big part of attending this event is race fashion, and I turned to Fitzroy Boutique’s dress rentals for Queen’s Plate 2016. The pop-up shop is shaking up the consumerist model with their curated selection of dress rentals. Available for pick up in their Ossington store, you can email to reserve a dress, and then try it on at their pop up to make sure it fits. For a mere $50, a designer dress is yours for four days… and that price includes dry cleaning too! With unique designers from Canada and Australia, it’s also less likely you’ll show up to a wedding and have an US Weekly, “Who Wore It Better” dilemma too.

I picked out this stunning Paige Eyelet lace dress by Brose, which features a beautiful asymmetrical hem and boned bustier. The dress retails for over $695, but $50 is the perfect sweet spot to borrow this beauty for a few days! I thought it was the perfect dress for the races. I wore a white dress last year to the Queen’s Plate, and I was so happy to wear white (my favourite shade in summer), without having to worry about wedding guest protocol.

For my accessories, I kept it simple with a black and white fascinator headband, and nude sandals from Joe Fresh. My glitter sunglasses are Miu Miu, jewelry by Kate Spade and Forever 21, and I wore a Rebecca Minkoff mini affair bag, which stocked all my essentials: tickets for my loser horses, band-aids (a must for the Queen’s Plate!), lipstick and cell phone.

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The best part about this dress? POCKETS! Honestly this was a lifesaver at an event like this. I was able to hide my cellphone and tickets in my pockets without having to fiddle around in my bag. I’d even consider going to an event without a purse, so I could dance the night away. Daniel kept asking me to hide his cell in the pockets too!

If you’re attending a wedding or have a big event this summer, I would definitely consider renting a dress. I have too many formal dresses I’ve worn once sitting at the back of my closet, and this option is both friendly on my wallet and the environment.

This year, I was so impressed by how big the Queen’s Plate 2016 became. I could honestly say attendance doubled in size, and everyone stepped up their fashion game. I spent most of my time at the Hats & Horseshoes party, where Daniel and I had fun with the Vaughan Mills photo booth, and sipped on cocktails. There were lots of food trucks to keep us fuelled, and entertainment from bands and even a fashion showdown! It was really fun seeing everyone’s personal style and take on race fashion. It’s already inspired me to dream up a fascinator for next year.

Thank you to Fitzroy Boutique for lending me the perfect dress, and to Woodbine Racetrack & Vaughan Mills for having me at the races!